1.

4 Mortar and Mortar Joints

Summary of Requirements

Mortar
Minimum Strength: 12.5 MPa at 28 days for structural masonry.

Minimum Bond Strength: 200 kPa at 7 days for non-structural veneer.

Durability: M4 Exposed/Coastal Cement 1 part : Lime 0-0.25 part : Sand 3 parts

M3 Exterior/Inland Cement 1 part : Lime 0.50 part : Sand 4 parts
M2 Interior Cement 1 part : Lime 1 part : Sand 6 parts
Admixture complying with AS 1478 can replace lime.

Sand: To comply with NZS 3103 Specification for sands for mortars and plasters,
Class A.
The sand should not contain more than 0.04% of chloride by dry weight of sand.

Cement: To comply with NZS 3122 Specification for Portland and blended cements
(General and special purpose).

Water: To comply with NZS 3121 Specification for water and aggregate for concrete.

Pigment: Dosage not to exceed 3% dry weight of cement.

Pre-bagged products of Dry Mortar meeting these requirements are available from Cemix Limited and Dricon.

Joints
Nominal Thickness: 10 mm.

Tolerance: ± 3 mm.

Bottom Joint: May vary in thickness from 7 mm to maximum of 20 mm to accommodate

foundation/floor tolerances.

Tooling: Maximum depth 6 mm.

Introduction and segmental retaining wall units - Masonry units

Masonry units are usually bonded together by laying
and bedding the units in Portland cement mortar.
The thickness of the mortar joint is part of the
modular system of blockwork. There are some
patent mortarless systems available overseas.
The nominal bedding joint thickness for concrete
masonry is 10 mm.
The pliable nature of mortar also resolves problems
such as could occur where adjacent units are of
different types and possibly of differing moulds.
AS/NZS 4455 Part 1 Masonry units, pavers, flags
allows a manufacturing tolerance of ± 3 mm in unit
height dimensions so it is feasible that a unit of one
type could be a little higher or lower than a unit of
another type. This variance can be accommodated
by mortar joints. Mortarless systems require units to
be manufactured to a significantly higher degree of
dimensional accuracy.
New Zealand Building Code
The New Zealand Building Code sets out
requirements or both structural masonry and veneer
construction. The materials and workmanship

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Concrete Masonry
Association Inc.
aspects of these two strands of masonry are
covered by the New Zealand Standard NZS 4210
Masonry Construction: Materials and Workmanship.
Section 2.2 of this Standard sets out the various
requirements for materials and workmanship for
mortar and mortar joints.
Requirements for weathertightness are directly
found within the New Zealand Building Code E2 AS1
and AS3. This issue is discussed further in Section
2.2 of this Manual.
Materials
Cement used in masonry mortars shall be Portland
cement complying with NZS 3122 Specification for
Portland and blended cements (General and special
purpose). Lime shall comply with BS 890 (Building
limes), but may be replaced wholly or partially by
admixtures provided the strength requirement will be
maintained and the bond between units will not be
impaired. It is important that a full understanding of
admixtures and their effects should be gained before
they are used. Tests should be carried out to check
that the nominated admixture does not reduce the
quality of the mortar and that the required
compressive and bond strengths can be obtained.
More than one type of admixture should never be
used together unless such usage has been proved
to be compatible. Sands for mortars are specified in
NZS 3103 Specification for sands for mortars and
plasters and are defined therein as Class A which
requires that 100% passes a.4.75 mm test sieve.
Particle size distribution, particle shape and texture
are controlled by a sand flow test as set out in NZS
3111 Methods of test for water and aggregate for
concrete. Provision is made in NZS 3103 for service
records of sands to be kept and to be the basis of
automatic approval of those sands recorded as
being of the required standard.
In practice, each mortar sand has its own
characteristics which influence the precise
proportions used in mortar mixes. A well-graded
sand may be used in larger proportions than
otherwise. Experience is the best guide to a good
mortar sand, but if there is any doubt it is suggested
that advice be sought from a block manufacturer or
licensed mason.
The presence of chloride salts from the use of
unwashed beach sand can cause corrosion of ties
and contribute to salt deposits appearing on the wall
surface.
BRANZ recommendations are that 0.04% of dry
weight of sand is the maximum level to be tolerated.
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Concrete Masonry
Association Inc.
Water for mixing mortar should be clean, potable
and comply with NZS 3121 Specification for water
and aggregate for concrete.
Mortars may be coloured by adding liquid or powder
pigment during mixing. A suitable pigment must
maintain colour fastness under sunlight, be
chemically stable in the alkalinity produced by the
cement and have no detrimental effect on the setting
time, permeability, workability or strength
requirements of the mortar. Pigment should be
added at a rate not exceeding 3% by weight of
cement unless it can be shown that the increased
concentrations have no detrimental effect on the
bond strengths of the mortar, the maximum
permitted dosage being 6%.
Mortar Mixes
The sand/cement ratio of satisfactory mortar is
influenced by the characteristics of the sand and by
the service requirements of the mortar. It is
accordingly difficult to pre-specify the exact
sand/cement ratios for masonry mortars.
Acceptable mortar mixes, therefore, usually result
from considerable experience on the part of the
concrete blocklayer; and supported and proved by
standard tests and performance in service.
The following mortar mixes are given as a guide to
sand/cement ratios, by volume:
Durability Portland Hydrated Mortar
Cement Lime* Sand
M4 Very High 1 0-0.25 3.0
M3 High 1 0.5 4.5
M2 Medium 1 1 6.0
* Where lime is replaced by a patent admixture it is important
that such admixture be used in strict accordance with the
supplier’s instructions and that it would allow the mortar to
attain its strength and bond requirements.
It should be noted that mortar ingredients are usually
measured by volume rather than by weight. In order
that consistency may be achieved it is
recommended that accurate gauging boxes or
buckets be used in preference to shovels or spades.
The importance of proper proportioning of all mortar
materials cannot be over-emphasised. Over-dosing
with any material could cause problems such as
colour variation, cracking, absorption and reduced
bond strength.
Compressive strength of the mortar in structural
masonry should be at least 12.5 MPa at 28 days and
the masonry to mortar bond should be 200 KPa at 7
days.
Generally the compressive strength of mortar should
be less than the strength of the units it is bonding
together. The general strength requirement for
concrete masonry units is 14 MPa.
The bond strength is of limited interest for structural
masonry where reinforcing steel and grout provide
the primary bonding. However in unreinforced
veneer adequate bond strengths are necessary
since it is this property that transfers loads of wind
and earthquake to the wall ties, i.e. the bond
strength is more important than compressive
strength.
Typical values of bond strengths on concrete bricks
are included in the Veneer Section (5.3).
The water retention test which relates to the loss of
water from the wet mortar to the unit may be
requested although a practical on-site test can be
performed as follows:
(a) Mortar two bricks together to correct joint width,
strike off mortar and wait two minutes.
(b) Lift the couplet by the top brick to a convenient
height, usually waist height, turning the couplet
over so that the lower brick becomes the top
brick.
(c) The couplet is then lowered holding the new
top brick.
(d) The couplet should not part during this test.
If after adjustment to the mortar mix or dampening of
bricks, the test still cannot be performed, then the
invoking of a full test to ASTM C91 may be required.
NZS 4210 Masonry construction: Materials and
workmanship describes sample procedures for the
compressive strength tests in Appendix 2A and for
the bond test in Appendix 2B (referencing AS 3700).
Reference should be made to that document for the
details.
It is very important that having followed the
procedures laid down for sampling and making
specimens of mortar, that correct curing of these
specimens is undertaken otherwise misleading
results will be produced.
The standard curing regime for mortar strength
specimens is shown in the CCANZ Information
Bulletin 51 Taking Test Cylinders on Site.
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Concrete Masonry
Association Inc.
Mixing
Mortar materials should be thoroughly mixed to an
even consistency in a mechanical mixer. Paddle
type mixers are preferable, although tilting-drum
mixers may be used provided the blades have been
adapted to produce the churning effect of a paddle
mixer. Mixing time should be at least five minutes.
For small qualities of mortar, e.g. three or four
buckets not exceeding 0.03 m, hand-mixing may be
used provided full-mixing and blending is achieved.
Generally, mortar not used within 1½ hours should
be discarded unless special provisions have been
made.
Mortar may be retempered by the addition of water
and thorough remixing providing that such mortar is
used within the 1½ hour prescribed period from the
initial mixing of the mortar, i.e. retempering does not
extend the life of the mortar beyond 1½ hours.
Joint Types
Figure 1 (page 4) shows some of the tooling details
commonly practiced. Some are not recommended
for external application because of their poorer
weatherproofing properties, but this will be of lesser
significance where cavity protects the inner wall.
Because of the positive barrier to ingress of moisture
any of the joint details illustrated in Figure 1 may be
applied to external cavity or veneer walls without risk
to inside finishes.
Of the details shown, types A, B and C are suitable
for internal or external use. Raked and extruded
joints should not be used externally except in cavity
or veneer construction. The flush joint is
recommended only for walls which received a later
applied finish or coating.
The joints A, B and C, should only be tooled to a
maximum depth of 6 mm after initial stiffening has
occurred. The delaying of the tooling operation is
vital if a tight weatherproof joint is to be produced in
horizontal and, particularly, vertical joints.
Figure 2 (page 4) illustrates in an exaggerated way
what is happening in the joint and how tooling gives
an improved weathertightness. The whole matter of
the tooling of external joints is of paramount
importance and strict attention to delaying the
operation after initial set of the mortar must be given.
Further details of tooling are discussed in Section
1.5 Blocklaying and under Section 2.2 Weather
Resistance.
 Figure 1: Joint Types

Figure 2: Tooling of Joints

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Concrete Masonry
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